In Sinu Jesu (Book Review)

 

In Sinu Jesus: When Heart Speaks to Heart, ISBN 978-1-62138-221-8 (E-book) Oklahoma: Angelico Press, 2016, pp. 317.

The first time I heard about In Sinu Jesu was about two years ago! A priest had come to preach a recollection to my community and had chosen to share some ideas from the book as part of his reflection. Unfortunately, I was unwell at the time and completely missed it. I heard my companions gushing over how interesting the talk was and how beautiful the ideas were. Then and there, a slight fire was lit in my heart and I became curious to find out more about this interesting book. But with a scatter brain like mine, the fire was allowed to die down and I made no attempt to find the book. In December of last year, when I went home for holidays, I happened to go out for breakfast with my cousin and a young couple who are devout believers and spiritually aware people. Among other things, they brought up this book and the spirituality contained therein. Such was the impression the book made on them that it rubbed off onto me. I resolved to get my hands on the book as soon as I got back, and that is exactly what happened. I searched for an e-copy of the book and was delighted to find it, and thus over the course of a month, I slowly drank from the vivacious energy of In Sinu Jesu and found myself being influenced by it.

Basically, this is a diary of a Benedictine monk’s prayer encounters with Jesus. It is mostly a record of Jesus’ speech to the monk and occasionally involves conversation between them; there are instances where the author records conversations with Mary and with another holy man. The book is not very captivating in its presentation but the ideas it pushes across are powerful and inspiring. One gets the feeling that one is privy to the mind of Jesus and unknowingly makes efforts to respond to the invitation that Jesus continually extends.

The book has been highly praised for its content, and rightfully so. It is a spiritual masterpiece and a must-read for every priest, religious and seminarian. Lay Catholics can also benefit from the book but it is self-described as “a journal of a priest at prayer” and hence, has a distinctive character to it. Nevertheless, as evidenced by the powerful conversation of my cousin and friends, it has universal appeal.

The basic call of the book is to commit reverently to the practice of Eucharistic adoration. This invitation jumps out of nearly every page of the book so that by the end, you are so moved by it that you attempt to indulge in it. The book interprets all other spiritual practices in the light of adoration and even offers a critique of priesthood and spirituality albeit from the point of view of the Eucharistic Lord. The accusations are relatable and perhaps channelize guilt to bring about conversion.

The spirituality that the book espouses is a personal, intimate and relational kind. The icon of John leaning on the breast of Jesus which is depicted on the front cover is offered as a visual representation of the kind of spirituality that one must develop. The book portrays Jesus not so much as the Eucharistic Lord but more as a friend. Statements like “In how many religious houses am I sacramentally present and yet left alone with little attention paid to My abiding real presence?” (174) and “I do not ask that My priests live all the day in church, as did My faithful servant John Vianney, but I do ask of every priest one hour in My presence…” (129) inspire a practice of adoration while at the same time offering a sincere chide.

A powerful testimony to the inspired character of the book is offered by the author himself when he says that it has impacted his own life and the lives of those he has shared it with. To this, I would like my testimony – I have been regularly reminded, as I took up the book to reflect and meditate on each day, how much I am loved by God and how much He desires that I return His love. If I can make time in my day to go about all my duties and even be creative or enjoy entertainment, how much more should I set aside time to be with the one who is the real reason for all that I enjoy?

This book has impacted me in a way that few other books have. I highly recommend every reader to pick it up at the earliest and benefit from its inspired spring. I don’t think anyone can feel let down by committing to reading this book. There is so little to lose and so much to gain from it. I would only suggest reading it not merely as a book but more as a personal conversation between the Lord and oneself.